Tuesday, October 27, 2015

10 WAYS HOW LIFE GETS BETTER WHEN YOU ARE LIVING SOBER

In early addiction recovery you are probably still
struggling to imagine what life will be like without your addiction. Living
sober is new and awkward, but it is also incredibly rewarding. Whatever
benefits you thought you gained from consuming drugs and alcohol will be put to
shame as you discover that nothing compares to the benefits gained from living
sober. Here are just 10 examples of the many ways sober living will make your
life great. 10 Ways Living Sober
Improves Your Life

1. Relationships improve.

Once you are sober you will be able to form and maintain
healthier relationships. If you are a parent this is a huge area where living
sober will positively affect your life and those around you. It may take some
time to rebuild healthy relationships with your children, but you will no doubt
be a more patient, present, and positive parent.

You will also become a better friend. You will have more
time to devote to nurturing meaningful relationships, plus you will probably
become more reliable and honest. As you get to know yourself in recovery you
will know what kind of things interest you and will find friends who enjoy the
same. Sober friendships are likely to be the most nurturing and fulfilling
relationships you have ever had.

2. Your memory improves.

No more forgetting and missing out on important events, like
your kids' birthdays. No more waking up full of shame and regret as you wonder
what happened the night before. When you are living sober you get to remember
everything. You are more aware of the finer details in life — like a stranger's
smile, or a newly blossomed flower. Plus, becoming sober will give you the
mental clarity to discover your personal passions and accomplish your goals.

3. You look better.

Once you stop poisoning your body with toxins, your
complexion will inevitably look better. Blemishes clear, wrinkles lose some of
their definition, and dark circles are minimized. Some people find that once
they start living sober they look 10 years younger. But it is not a
superficial benefit. When we look better, we inevitably feel better about
ourselves. All the other benefits of a sober life will also have you smiling
more — which definitely keeps you looking great.

4. You can maintain a healthy
weight.

Many in recovery report initial weight
regulation as a benefit to living sober. When you stop consuming empty
alcohol calories, and participating in drunken binge-eating episodes, you
naturally lose weight. If you were underweight due to a substance abuse
disorder your weight is also likely to return to a healthier level once sober.
This will help you feel better physically and reduce your risk for
weight-related health complications.

5. You have more money.

Living sober will leave you with extra money that you
otherwise spent on fuelling your alcohol or drug addiction. It is an automatic
savings plan. With more money you can pay off debts, save for larger purchases,
and invest in new hobbies. Instead of emptying your bank account regularly and
having nothing to show for it you can now spend your money gaining meaningful
experiences with people who truly love and care for you.

6. You have more time.

You probably did not realise exactly how much time you spent
thinking about and consuming drugs and alcohol until you stopped. At first
having all this extra time can be overwhelming and leave you not knowing what
to do. However, it does not take long to realise there is a world of things to
do once you are sober. You can use your time to do things like walking your
dogs, visiting family and friends, learning something new, and getting more
sleep — all of which turn out to be much more rewarding than getting drunk or
high.

7. You have more energy.

Constantly feeling tired from sub-par sleep quality is a
thing of the past. While at first sleep might be difficult as your body
adjusts, once you are sober you will find that your sleep is of a higher
quality and you get more of it. Plus, your body will not have to work so hard
repairing the damage of drug and alcohol abuse, which frees up its available
energy resources. Who does not wish they had more energy in a day? Sobriety
will give it to you.

8. You have more fun.

Yes, you will have more fun living sober than intoxicated
(even if it does not seem that way at first). With more time, money, and energy
the possibilities for fun are endless and never involve a hangover. Your
definition of fun will probably change for the better and eventually you will
think to yourself “how did I ever
think life like that was fun?” Once sober, you are able to play more,
you will have a youthful radiance when your laughter is genuine, and you can
enjoy the experience of daily life.

9. You gain respect.

When you are sober, you gain respect from others as they
acknowledge your commitment to change. You leave a positive impression on
people around you through volunteering and helping others. People look up to
you and admire your sobriety. When you are sober you are able to follow through
with commitments and people will begin to trust you again. Becoming sober
is a great display of self-respect as you commit to discontinue the abuse of
your body and mind — and when you respect yourself, people are more likely to
respect you as well.

10. You feel good about yourself.

Feeling good about yourself is one of the best gifts
sobriety will give you. First of all you can free yourself from the shame and
guilt tied to your addictive behaviour. Each day you can be proud of yourself
for making it another day in recovery. While increasing your
self-esteem will still take some work and does not just magically happen
once you enter recovery, living sober will contribute to healthy self-esteem in
the long term.

Not convinced yet that life is better when you have got more
energy, more time and a clear mind? Or when you get out of bed each day feeling
refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead? Then go ahead and watch some of
our alumni update stories to see how these real people's lives
improved after leaving drug and alcohol rehab.